How Is Cobalt-60 Used In The Food Industry?

Food irradiation is the process of exposing boxes or pallets of food products to radiation from a Cobalt-60 source. The ionizing radiation destroys dangerous contaminates in foods such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and insects. The process is not new; it’s been around for the past 60 years.

Why is cobalt-60 used in food preservation?

In many countries, food irradiation with cobalt-60 is routinely used to prevent sprouting or rotting, to delay ripening, and to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Is isotope of cobalt used in food preservation?

It is produced by irradiating the stable isotope cobalt-59 with neutrons in a nuclear reactor. Cobalt-60 is used in the inspection of materials to reveal internal structure, flaws, or foreign objects and in the sterilization of food. In medicine, it is used to treat cancer and to sterilize medical equipment.

What are the benefits of using cobalt-60?

The advantages of Co/sup 60/ therapy over conventional x-ray therapy, stemming from the fact that in the lst instance energy absorption within the tissues is by the Compton effect and in the 2nd case by the photoelectric effect, are: (1) increased skin tolerance, (2) reduced bone absorption, (3) increase in depth dose,

How is radioactivity used in irradiating food?

During irradiation, food is exposed to electron beams, X-rays or gamma rays. The effect is similar to other preservation methods, such as pasteurisation or cooking. The appearance and texture of the food changes less during irradiation than other preservation methods.

What is cobalt used for in food?

Cobalt forms part of the structure of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 has several important functions including making red blood cells and releasing energy from the food you eat.

Which isotope is used for food preservation?

cobalt-60
The two most common sources of high-energy radiation used in the food industry are cobalt-60 (⁶⁰Co) and cesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs).

Is cobalt-60 used in food irradiation?

It is used industrially in leveling gauges and to x-ray welding seams and other structural elements to detect flaws. Co-60 also is used for food irradiation, a sterilization process.

Is there cobalt in food?

Recommended intake
Trace amounts of cobalt are found in most foods. Foods high in vitamin B-12 are the only source of cobalt used by the body. It’s best to take cobalt as part of vitamin B-12. If you have a cobalt deficiency, this also means you have a vitamin B-12 deficiency.

How are isotopes used in food?

In addition to inhibiting spoilage, irradiation can delay ripening of fruits and vegetables to give them greater shelf-life. Its ability to control pests and reduce required quarantine periods has been the principal factor behind many countries adopting food irradiation practices.

What are 3 important uses of cobalt?

Cobalt is also used to make airbags in automobiles; catalysts for the petroleum and chemical industries; cemented carbides (also called hardmetals) and diamond tools; corrosion- and wear-resistant alloys; drying agents for paints, varnishes, and inks; dyes and pigments; ground coats for porcelain enamels; high-speed

How is cobalt-60 used in agriculture?

Agriculture and R&D
Cobalt-60, which is produced in four of Bruce Power’s eight nuclear reactors, is used for the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), which could be a powerful strategy for controlling the pepper weevil, a devastating pest problem for Ontario pepper farmers.

Can cobalt-60 destroy bacteria?

The gamma irradiation process uses Cobalt 60 radiation to kill microorganisms on a variety of different products in a specially designed cell. Gamma radiation is generated by the decay of the radioisotope Cobalt 60, with the resultant high energy photons being an effective sterilant.

What are 3 reasons food is irradiated?

Food irradiation

• To reduce microbial load on spices and dehydrated seasoning preparations, meaning it destroys bacteria, molds and yeast which cause food to spoil.
• To control insects in wheat, flour and whole wheat flour.
• To increase shelf life by preventing sprouting or germination in potatoes and onions.

Which radiation is used in food industry?

Radiation for the treatment of food is achieved through the application of gamma rays (with Co-60 or Cesium-137 radioisotope), electron beams (high energy of up to 10 MeV), or X-rays (high energy of up to 5 MeV). Radiation principles explain how the gamma rays, e-beams and X-rays interact with matter.

What are 5 commonly irradiated foods?

The FDA has approved a variety of foods for irradiation in the United States including:

• Beef and Pork.
• Crustaceans (e.g., lobster, shrimp, and crab)
• Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.
• Lettuce and Spinach.
• Poultry.
• Seeds for Sprouting (e.g., for alfalfa sprouts)
• Shell Eggs.
• Shellfish – Molluscan.

How is cobalt used to preserve food?

Food irradiation is the process of exposing boxes or pallets of food products to radiation from a Cobalt-60 source. The ionizing radiation destroys dangerous contaminates in foods such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and insects. The process is not new; it’s been around for the past 60 years.

Where is cobalt found in food?

Umpteen dietary resources contain ample volumes of cobalt, namely cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, whole grain cereals such as barley, oats, besides dairy produce, animal meat, fish, oysters and eggs.

Is cobalt used in Apple products?

Apple today released new details on the increased use of recycled content across its products. For the first time, the company introduced certified recycled gold, and more than doubled the use of recycled tungsten, rare earth elements, and cobalt.

What element is used to preserve foods?

Modern and industrial levels of preserving food, like canning and meat curing, typically involve three types of chemical preservatives: Benzoates (such as sodium benzoate) Nitrites (such as sodium nitrite) Sulphites (such as sulphur dioxide)

What is used in food preservation in an industry?

Physical methods of food preservation include dehydration, refrigeration and freezing, controlled atmosphere storage, modified atmosphere packaging, vacuum packaging, various forms of heat treatment, ultraviolet radiation, ionizing radiation and high hydrostatic pressure (Farkas, 1997).